The United Kingdom has recorded its hottest June day on record, with temperatures reaching 35.8°C in Wiggonholt, West Sussex, surpassing the previous high of 35.6°C set in Southampton during the 1976 heatwave. Earlier, a temperature of 35.7°C was recorded in Surrey, but the West Sussex reading broke that record within the hour.
Scotland also experienced its hottest day of the year, with temperatures reaching 29.4°C in Dyce, Aberdeen, and similar highs in Aberdeenshire, Fife, and Edinburgh. Across Europe, at least 94 million people were expected to face temperatures above 35°C, primarily in France and Spain, with over 350 million experiencing temperatures above 30°C.
France extended its red weather alert to 72 of its 96 mainland departments, while mainland Spain recorded its highest daily average June temperatures since 1950, with Bilbao surpassing 39°C. Belgium issued an orange alert and recorded a new national temperature record for 24 June of 33.2°C, with forecasts of up to 39°C by the end of the week and potentially the hottest night ever.
The World Health Organization's director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, warned that Europe's heatwave is putting people's health at risk, noting that temperatures in Europe are rising at roughly twice the global average rate. He urged leaders to invest in climate-resilient health systems and accelerate climate action.
In response to the heat, around one-fifth of trains in Belgium were cancelled due to a lack of air conditioning on older rolling stock, and some schools cancelled classes or allowed early departure. In Italy, the Lazio region ordered construction workers and delivery riders to stop work between 12:30 pm and 4:00 pm, but the order was widely ignored, with delivery drivers continuing to work in the heat.
